Running and jogging are healthy cardiovascular exercises that elevate your heart rate and burn calories -- but exercise may also cause injuries. Wearing improper shoes, running before warming up and overexerting yourself may put yourself at an increased risk of injury in your calves. Although calf pain may not always signal injury, consult a doctor if pain persists for more than a few days.
Muscle Soreness
After exercising, it is normal to experience some muscle soreness, especially if you're not used to running regularly. Going for a quick walk around the block, then stretching your legs by doing lunges and straddles may help loosen your muscles, which will prevent soreness after your workout. To reduce muscle soreness after your workout, place an ice pack on your calves for 15 minutes.
Shin Splints
Shin splints may feel like a stinging pain at the shinbone and on the insides of your calves. When you run in flat shoes or put pressure on your heels by running downhill, you may experience shin splints after running. Shin splints are not usually serious -- rest them for several days, using an ice pack periodically to numb the pain. If pain continues, talk to a doctor -- in rare cases, shin splints may cause tiny fractures in the shinbone.
Muscle Cramps
When you overexert yourself, you may experience muscle cramps in your calves. These spasms may be particularly painful at night. Muscle cramps are not serious, but they may be excruciatingly painful for several minutes at a time. When muscle cramps occur, stand on the afflicted leg and massage the muscle gently. If the muscle cramp persists, apply a heating pad to the area for 15 minutes or take a warm bath.
Sprains and Injuries
Running beginners may be unable to tell the difference between harmless muscle soreness in the calves and an injury. Muscle strains, sprains and other injuries usually occur while you are exercising -- you will feel pain while running and it will continue after you have stopped. Muscle soreness usually occurs up to a day or two after running. Depending on the severity of your injury, your doctor may recommend rest, rehabilitation exercises and, in some cases, surgery, before you are able to run again.
